Process and apparatus for forming sheet glass



Aug. 16, 1932. J. DRAKE PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING SHEET GLASS Filed Aug. 1, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l T IM Qwuwntm: Jbh n L. Dra Kg 1932- J. DRAKE 1,872,423

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING SHEET GLASS Filed Aug. 1, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jahn L. Dru/(e 3 Sheets-Shet 5 gwuwnfoz, Jbh n L. Dra/(e l m H abbozmq Aug. 16, 1932. .J. L. DRAKE PROCESS AND APPARATUS ,FOR FORMING SHEET GLASS Fil ed Aug. 1, 1928 Patented Aug. 16, 1932 .UNHTE STATES] A N OFFICE JOHN L. DRAKE, E TOLEDO, oino, Asslionon T0 LIBBEY-OWEES-EORD e-LA'ss coiurAEY, o 'roL no, 02110, A CORPORATION OF OHIO EEOcESS AND APPARATUS, FOR FORMING SHEET GLASS Application filed August 1, 1928. Serial No. 296,674.

. The present invention relatesv to an im proved process and an apparatus for forming sheet glass.

An important object of the to provide such a process and apparatus wherein the sheet forming mechanism utilized is moved substantially longitudinally of a supporting means, the glass sheet being formed and the said sheet depositedupon said supporting means as the forming mechanism 3, the numeral 10 designates a support or reis moved with respect thereto.

Another object of the invention is the provision of meanswherein a mass of'molten glass is deposited on a support positioned ad- 5 jacent a sheet forming mechanism, the support and forming mechanism being movable substantially longitudinally above a conveyor and the sheet being formed and laid upon said conveyor as the said support and forming mechanism is moved thereoverv A further object of the invention is to provide means wherein a mass of molten glass is deposited on a tiltable'support having associated therewith sheet forming rolls, said tiltablesupport and sheet forming rolls being movable as a unit longitudinally and rearwardly over a conveyor which is simultaneously moving in the opposite direction, the

mass of molten glass being reduced tosheet 3 form and laid upon the conveyor while said sheet forming mechanism is being moved thereabove, said conveyorbeing adapted to carry the sheet forwardly as it is deposited thereon toward an annealing leer, the combined forward speed of the conveyor and the translatory rearward movement of the sheet rolling mechanism being equivalent to the peripheral speed of the sheet forming rolls. in Other objects and advantagesof the invention will become more apparent during the course of the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. v

In the drawings whereinlike numerals are employed to design ate likeeparts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a side'elevation of my improved construction,

invention is gular frame.

a roller 25.

Fig. 2 is-a' fragmentary plan view thereof,

ceiver for a mass of molten glass 11 depositedv upon the said support from a pot 12. The pot 12 may be carried by a hanger or the like 13 and is adapted to be tilted in a manner'that the glass may be spread or placed upon the support 10 without the introduction of air, etc. thereto. Broadly speaking, the support 10 has associated therewith a pair of sheet forming rolls '14 and 15 respectively adapted slab 17 is mount-ed with respect to the sheet forming pass so that the sheet issuing therefrom will slide across the upper surface thereof. v

The support or receiver 10 may be formed; from a suitablerefractory clay or the like,

although of course it may be made from a non-corroslve metal 1f deslred. If formed shafts or trunnions 19 at opposite ends thereof as shown most clearly in Fig. 2. The numerals 2O and21 designate side members of aframe provided to support the member 10 and associated parts, the side members 20 and 21 being connected by cross rods 22 and 23 to create, in effect, a rectan- The shafts 19, which extend through the side members 20 and 21, each '70 to be positively driven and arranged to create a'sheet forming pass 16 therebetween which controls the'thickness of sheet produced; A

have an arm 24 secured thereto and carrying The frame or carriage, formed by the side members 20-and 21' and cross rods 22 and 23, is mounted upon wheels 26 j which run on tracks 27. The carriage is adapted to straddle a conveyor, designated in its entirety by the'numeral 28, and this conveyor may comprise a series of rotatable rolls as shown in Fig. 2, or be an endless belttype conveyor 29 illustrated in Fig. 4.

The rollers 25 carried by arms 24 secured to shafts 19 are received between longitudinally extending spaced cam rails 30, shown most clearly in Fig. 1, and the rails 30, forming the cam track, can vary in configuration depending upon the degree of tilting required or desired forthe. receptacle l0 and associated parts, as will be more clearly hereinafter apparent.

Carried by the casing 18 are oppositely disposed bearing members 31, shown in Fig. 2, within which are journaled theopposite ends of the sheet forming rolls 14 and 15. These rolls are adjustable with respect to each other by means of bolts 32 with which are associated springs 33. The springs 33 are of sufficient strength to normally urge the upper roll toward the lower roll as far as the adjustment of the bolt 32 will permit, although the springs will allow for a temporary separation of the rolls so that foreign matter, such as clay, etc., may pass therebetween. Each roll has a gear 34 carried on its shaft and these gears are in constant mesh, whereby the rolls will be driven in opposite directions. It will be noted that the casing 18, support'lO, sheet forming rolls 14 and 15, and the slab 17 are all pivotally mounted by reason of the shafts 19. That is, the casing 18 is pivoted about this point, and since the support 10, rolls 14 and 15, and slab 17 just mentioned are carried .by said casing, the same will be moved with the casing as a unit. The side members 20 and 21 are provided with the depending curved guideways 35 which guide the sheet forming rolls in their movement as they .pivot up and down about the shafts 19.

Arranged alongside of the cammed rails 30 is a chain drive 36, trained about the sprockets 36, either one or both of which may be positively driven.

'Also carried by the journal 42 is a gear 44 having a key receivable in the slot 41 of shaft and of such a size as to permit sliding of the gear with respect to said shaft. The gear 44 meshes with a second gear 45 carried on the cross rod 23, which rod is also provided with a sprocket 46 over which is trained a chain 47 likewise trained over a sprocket 48 carried by one of the sheet forming rolls.

Connected to the chain 36 is a foldable or collapsible link 37,

As illustrated, the sprocket 48 is carried by the shaft of the upper roll 14. Thus, by positively driving the shaft 40, the sheet forming rolls will be positively driven in opposite directions with respect to each other.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View of the drive for the various parts of the mechanism, said drive including a transverse main drive shaft 49 carrying a sprocket 5O deriving power from a main source of supply through the sprocket chain 51. Each end of the shaft 50 is provided with the sprocket 36 engageable by the chains 36 positioned at opposite sides of the conveyor 28, each of said chains carrying one of the collapsible links 37. A sprocket 53 is likewise keyed to and driven by the shaft 49, said sprocket driving the shaft 54 through the sprocket chain 55 trained about the sprocket 56. The shaft 54 carries a bevel pinion 57 meshing with a second pinion 58 keyed to the slotted shaft 40 arranged longitudinally of the apparatus and designed to transmit power to the driving means for the sheet forming rolls. The shaft 40 may be journaled at its ends in suitable means 59. The shaft 54 also drives the chain 60 by reason of the sprocket61 meshing therewith, which chain is also trained about another sprocket 62 carried on the shaft 63. The shaft 63 carries at each end a pinion 64 meshing with pinions 65'mounted on the ends of longitudinal shafts 66 carrying worm gears 67 meshing with suitable worm gears 68 whereby-to positively rotate the rolls 69 of the conveyor 28.

In operation, the mass of molten glass 11 is first deposited upon the support 10 and atthis stage of the operation, the said support and associated parts are arranged adjacent the annealing leer '70, Attention is also directed to the fact that at this time, the rollers 25 carried by arms 24 secured to shafts 19 are in the lower horizontal portion of the cammed tracks 30 as shown in Fig. 1. After the molten glass has been deposited upon the support 10,'the pot 12 is removed and the mechanism started. That is, the chains 36 are driven upon rotation of the shaft 49 in a counter-clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. This movement of the chains will cause the collapsible link members i 37 to be extended or unfolded so as to pull the casing 18 carrying the support 10, sheet forming rolls 14 and 15 and slab 17 to the 7 left over the conveyor 28. As the rolls 25 to a sheet of substantially predetermined dimensionis, said sheet being designated 71. The length of the chains 36 and the rails 30 is such that when the sheet forming mechanism has reached the left-hand end of theconveyor 28, the entire mass of molten glass 11 will have been formed into a sheet and the sheet deposited upon said conveyor.

As above stated, during the movement of the sheet forming mechanism longitudinally of the conveyor and the rolling of the lass into sheet form, the said conveyor 28 is adapted to be simultaneously operating in a manner to advance the sheet toward the annealing leer 70. The combined speed of the sheet forming mechanism away from the leer and the peripheral speed of the conveying rolls toward the leer is substantially identical with the peripheral speed of the sheetforming rolls 14 and 15. For example, ifthe peripheral speed of the sheet forming rolls is such that the glass will be rolled to sheet form at the rate of forty feet per minute and the peripheral speed of the conveyor rolls toward the leer is five feet per minute then the speed of movement of the sheet forming mechanism as a unit away from the leer will be thirty-five feet per minute. It will of course be understood that the figures given are by way of example only and are not to be considered a limiting factor as regards the present disclosure.

By forming a sheet with this type of apparatus, it is possible to rapidly reduce a mass of molten glass to sheet form in a manner that the sheet can be fed relatively slowly into and through an annealing leer. The length of the leer therefore need not be increased above the length of leer ordinarily used when the lass is rolled at the same speed it is annea ed.

A block or stop member 7 2 is provided to limit the movement of the sheet forming mechanism away from the annealing leer while a similar block or stop member 7 3 is provided to restrict the forward movement thereof. When the sheet forming mechanism reaches the limit of its rearward movement or, in other words, engages the stop member 7 2, the link members 37 will fold or collapse to assume a position indicated by the broken lines at the left of Fig. 1. Although the movement of the sheet forming mechanism is stopped, the link members can travel around on the return runs of the chains 36 and after passing around the sprockets 36 the link members will be again extended or unfolded whereby to pull the sheet forming mechanism back into its operative position adjacent the annealing leer.

The up and down movement of the support 10 and sheet forming rolls 14 and 15' is controlled by the rollers associated with the cam rails 30. As above stated the curvature of the rails can be regulated as desired to determine the raising and lowering of the sheet forming rolls and associated parts.

any event, however, it is preferred that the lines in Fi 3 during the for'mationof the sheet and tie laying of said sheet upon the conveyor.

It is to, be understood that the form of the invention'herewith shown and described is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same, and that various changes in the shape, .size and arrangement of parts may be resorted tofwithout departing from the spirit ofthe invention or the" scope of the .subjoined claims.

I claim;

1.In apparatus for the production of sheet glass, a conveyor movable inone direction and adapted to receive the sheet there- .upon, sheet forming mechanism arranged above the conveyor and movable thereover in a direction opposite to the direction of travel thereof, and means for loweringsaid sheet forming mechanism through an arenat-e path as 11198111118 is moved over said conveyor. i

2. In apparatus for the production of sheet glass, a conveyor, sheet. forming mechanism arranged above the conveyor including a sup.- port and a plurality of forming rolls associated therewith, means for moving said conveyor and sheet forming mechanism in opposite directions during the forming of the sheet and the laying thereof upon the conveyor, and means for lowering said sheet forming mechanism as a unit through an arcuate path as the same is moved over said conveyor.

3. In apparatus for the production of sheet glass, a movable conveyor, sheet forming mechanism arranged thereabove and including a plurality of rotatable sheet forming rolls, drive means for effecting movement of the sheet forming mechanism longitudinally over the conveyor, means driven from the drive means for rotating said forming rolls, and connections between said drive means and conveyor for moving the latter in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of said sheet forming mechanism thereover.

4. In apparatus for the production of sheet glass, a movable conveyor, sheet forming mechanism arranged above the conveyor incuding a support and a plurality of rotatable sheet form ng rolls, drive means for efiecting movement of the sheet forming mechanism longitudinally over said conveyor, means for tilting the support and forming rolls as a unit during the movement thereof with respect to the conveyor, means driven from the drive means for rotating said forming rolls, and connections between said drive means and conveyor for moving the latter in a direction opposite to the direc- 7 tion of travel of saidsheet forming mechanism thereover. I

5. In apparatus for the production of sheet glass, a conveyor movable in one direction, sheet "forming mechanism arranged above the conveyor and movable in the opposite direction, said sheet forming mechanism including a plurality of rotatable sheet forming rolls; and a common drive means for efiecting' the movement of the conveyor in one direction, the movement of the sheet forming mechanism in the opposite direction and the rotation of said forming rolls.

6. In apparatus for the production of sheet glass, a conveyor movable in one direction, sheet forming mechanism arranged thereabove and movable in the opposite direction, said forming mechanism including a support and a plurality of rotatable sheet forming rolls, a common drive means for efiecting simultaneously the movement of the con veyor in one direction, the movement of the sheet forming mechanism in the opposite direction and the rotation of the forming rolls and means for tilting the sheet formin mechanism as a unit as the same is movec longitudinally over said conveyor.

Signed at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, this 25th day of June, 1928.

JOHN L. DRAKE. 

